Narr' Havas was opposed to this: an advance should first be made upon the frontier.
This was the opinion of the veterans, and of Matho himself, and it was decided that Spendius should go to attack Utica, and Matho Hippo-Zarytus, while in the third place the main body should rest on Tunis and occupy the plain of Carthage, Autaritus being in command.

As to Narr' Havas, he was to return to his own kingdom to procure elephants and to scour the roads with his cavalry.
The women cried out loudly against this decision; they coveted the jewels of the Punic ladies.

The Libyans also protested.

They had been summoned against Carthage, and now they were going away from it! The soldiers departed almost alone.

Matho commanded his own companions, together with the Iberians, Lusitanians, and the men of the West, and of the islands; all those who spoke Greek had asked for Spendius on account of his cleverness.
Great was the stupefaction when the army was seen suddenly in motion; it stretched along beneath the mountain of Ariana on the road to Utica beside the sea.